Mitochondrial membrane potential profile and its correlation with increasing sperm motility.

To investigate sperm mitochondrial integrity through analysis of mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψ) and to correlate the energy status with variations in sperm motility. Experimental study. Seminology Laboratory, University of Rome, Italy. Two hundred thirteen semen samples from the same number of patients, divided into two groups on the basis of their motility: group A, 185 samples with linear motility and group B, 28 samples with nonlinear motility. Evaluation of sperm motility. Sperm mitochondrial integrity evaluated with a fluorimetric method using the cationic lipophilic stain JC-1. The mean FL2 (percentage of sperm with high and low ∆ψ) for group A was 46.19±23.25 and for group B, it was 48.32±24.43. There was no significant difference between the groups. There was a positive correlation between both FL2 and linear motility and FL2 and sperm vitality in group A; both correlations were statistically significant. In group B, there was a positive correlation between FL2 and nonlinear motility and FL2 and sperm vitality; again, both correlations were statistically significant. Our data reveal a positive correlation between total motility and Δψ, suggesting that sperm motility may be dependent on the functional integrity of the mitochondria.